Thursday, December 30, 2010

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good new year! No, wait.. an amazing new year!

Swedish Christmas feast... This was just round ONE!! :)

MORE FOOD!!!

Kalle Anka (Donald Duck) It went on to play parts of the Jungle Book, Snow White, Cars and many others

Hej Familj!!!

Well this time next week it will be 2011!! Can you believe that?! To me that is just crazy and a part of me just doesn't want to accept it. But alas, it is still 2010 and I hope you all had a marvelous Christmas! My Christmas was incredible and one that I truly will never forget. We were with members pretty much all weekend and they treated us to a very authentic Swedish Christmas. We ate sooooo much food! It is actually really funny because right before Äldste Overstreet and I would go into another members house we would promise each other that we would not eat a lot of food... Then the food came and came and came! The members would not let us say no! haha They are the bestest! The food was delicious, the sounds were exciting and the weather was frightening! We have received lots and lots of snow and it just keeps coming! Not too cold yet, but those months will be waiting for us in the new year! OH! At a members house we were able to participate in an awesome Swedish tradition! We were able (and given permission) to watch Kalle Anka! Or, Donald Duck! It was basically a mix of tons of Disney classics in Swedish and it only showed the best parts! It was so exciting to participate in that and have a few good laughs! :) Another exciting part of Christmas was my phone call home! I LOVE YOU ALL!!! It was so amazing to hear all of your voices and talk with you one on one. I must admit that I was a little nervous about calling home. I was worried that it would affect the work or make my emotions go wild, but all in all it pumped me up! I took the love I received and applied it right to the work here! It was fun to talk and have some time for questions, and it was fun to sing to you all! haha I am a little sad that Landon did not show up to say hello, but I know that he will be born soon... if not already, and say hello to all of you! Yay! You all be sure to give that stud a big.. no, a HUGE hug for me! Let him know how much I honestly love him!!!! :) Okay well seeing as though I did not receive an e-mail from you all.. (completely understandable with the call and all) I am going to ask a few things I forgot to ask during the call because my mind was blown by hearing your voices. Number one is for Mom.. What is the recipe for your frosting for those sugar cookies you would make and we all would decorate?? That would be swell to have! Okay, number two is for whoever is looking after this sort of stuff for me.. How is my facebook doing?? Has anyone signed in lately or been to the page? lol that would be good to know since I am not allowed on facebook! haha Number three is for Dad.. NEW CAR?? haha tell me all the details please! I am interested to hear the specs and description! lol Okay, I can't really think of many more... I guess I should just write them down when I think of them.... You'd think I would've learned that by now huh!? :) Well I am going to finish up today's e-mail with a spiritual thought! For the thought I am going to share one of my favorite scriptures. We have been using this as part of our Christmas message during the season. There are many things we receive at Christmas time. We receive presents and gifts. We receive friends into our homes and food to our tables. We receive warm feelings and peace to our hearts. However, there is one thing that is more important, more exciting and more meaningful than all of that. In Alma 7:7 we read, "For behold, I say unto you there be many things to come; and behold, there is one thing which is of more importance than they all—for behold, the time is not far distant that the Redeemer liveth and cometh among his people." How absolutely amazing is that!? The Redeemer, our Savior Jesus Christ, is of more importance than all the things to come or which have already come! It is of interest to note that this is Alma talking. These are the first words that he speaks to his people after having been busy at the judgement seat. Does that not support his words even more?? Does that not just strengthen your testimony of Jesus Christ?! He, Alma, decides to speak of Christ because he knows the importance of the Savior to the world. He knows what he will bring to his people... what he has brought to US! Peace... Warm feelings... Salvation... All of this he has brought to us! We feel it so strongly at Christmas time! I feel that a lot of the time we confuse where there feelings really come from. Because in reality these feelings come from Christ and His infinite Atonement! This has been a BIG focus for me this Christmas season and it has brought me so much joy! I love it! :) I love all of you! I am so thankful I have my loving family and the chance to be a missionary. I am thankful for the opportunity to carry Jesus Christ's name on my badge so close to my heart... because thats what he comforts... that what he protects... and thats what he strengthens. He means everything to me! I hope you all have a fantastic new year and that you enjoy every second of it! Until next week... 2011!!!

About Me

My name is Garrett Kundis and I have been called as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints assigned to labor in the Sweden Stockholm Mission. This is my blog where all my e-mails, letters and photos will be posted for all to enjoy. I am excited to be serving the Lord and the good people of Sweden. Through the highs and lows I know the Lord is with me and that the spirit is guiding me. Enjoy the blog and follow me through the best two years of my life! Faithful and Steady, I AM Ready!!!